hospicii Regis" [Footnote: The household books, published in the Chaucer
Records, recognize no such classification as "vallettus hospicii Regis,"
pet the records certainly point to the existence of such a
classification.] and later of course, "armiger" or "scutifer." This view
is of course supported by the fact that in the household lists his name
does not appear in 1368 as a "vallet de la chambre du Roi" or in 1369
even near the names of men who had been "valletti" of the King's
chamber. Further that Chaucer's position by 1363 was distinctly
honourable appears from the fact that his name appears as Esquier among
a group of men who were not engaged in menial occupations of any
kind--as distinguished from the cooks and farriers of the groups called
"esquiers survenantz" and "sergeantz des offices parvantz furrures a
chaperon."

With regard to Chaucer's employment as an envoy abroad, it is clear that
he was, when so engaged, performing a customary service, that indeed he
was one of several who were constantly used in minor missions abroad and
that his rank and duties were similar to those of a King's messenger
today. [Footnote: Cf. pp. 19, 20 above.] Likewise the rewards which
Chaucer received were not extraordinary. Practically every esquire of
Chaucer's rank who remained for any considerable time in the court
received an annuity; evidently such pensions were part of the
perquisites of the office. A few esquires received a smaller annuity
than Chaucer's, many received about the same amount, and, many received
more. [Footnote: Cf. p. 21 ff.] Similarly the special offices which
Chaucer held, particularly his controllerships, were not evidences of
remarkable favour: other esquires received the same kind of offices and
indeed they were apparently regular sinecures for the members of the
King's household. [Footnote: Cf. p. 22 ff.] So also the grant of
wardships and forfeited goods can be paralleled in many cases. In two